External Hard Drive For Gaming
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External Hard Drive For Gaming
@bestintechBest in Tech
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As most will know, modern-day PC games are becoming much more demanding; for this reason, an external HDD can be incredibly useful in supporting a gaming PC's storage but also offering portability. In the following guide, we have chosen seven of the best external hard drives for gaming available, suitable to all needs and conditions - leaving no stone unturned. Without further ado, let's take a better look!
Compare The Best External Hard Drives of 2021
1. Seagate Portable 2TB External Hard Drive
Editor's Choice
If you never want to worry about storing your media, files, games, and pretty much whatever else, then something like this Seagate Expansion drive is for you. The Seagate External Hard Drive is a combination of speed and capacity offered at the lowest price possible.
Key Features
Compatible - It is designed to work with Mac or Windows computers; this external hard drive makes backup a really easy experience by just dragging and dropping photos, songs, videos, docs, and more.
Big Storage - With the Seagate external hard drive, you will be able to easily access and store 2TB of content on the go.
Warranty - Enjoy long-term peace of mind with the added one-year limited warranty and 1-year rescue data recovery services. If something goes bad, then they will fix or replace the hard drive completely for free.
2. WD 5TB Elements External Hard Drive
Amazon's Choice
Store and take all your important games and information with you while on the go using the 5TB Elements External Hard Drive from WD. With a capacity of 5TB, it can be used for extra storage or for backing up your videos, photos, documents, and other files. The Elements drive connects to your PC with a USB 3.0 port at speeds up to 5 Gb/s, which is perfect for most high graphic games.
Key Features
USB 3.0 Compatibility - With this single external hard drive, you get compatibility with the latest USB 3.0 devices and compatibility with USB 2.0 devices.
High-speed transfer rates - When connected to a USB 3.0 port, the WD Elements external hard drive delivers fast data transfer rates.
Boost Performance - When your internal hard drive is nearly full, your PC will start lagging and reacting slowly. Free up storage on your hard drive by simply transferring all the files to your WD Elements external hard drive and get the laptop moving again.
Huge Capacity- The small and lightweight design offers you up to 5TB capacity, making WD Elements external hard drives the ideal companion for consumers on the go.
Quality Build - The WD portable hard drive is built for shock tolerance, durability, and long-term reliability.
3. Maxone 320GB Ultra Slim External Hard Drive
The Most Lightweight
Are you looking for an external hard drive that you can literally put in your pocket? Well, the Maxone 320GB Ultra slim external hard drive is the best choice; you will be able to carry all your important information or your favorite game with you everywhere you go. Get it right now before it's too late!
Key Features
Easy to Use - Maxone Ultra Slim external hard drive is ready to use without an external power supply or software installation needed. Just drag and drop files you want to save.
Improve PC Performance - Offering a big storage capacity of up to 2TB, this drive is made to free up extra space and efficiently improve the performance of your PC or laptop.
Ultra-Compact - The all-Aluminum anti-scratch design offers more durable exterior protection, delivering remarkable strength and durability while also being easy to carry around wherever you go.
4. Seagate Game Drive 4TB
Best For Xbox
You can plug any old USB external hard drive into your new Xbox, but they'll only let you store your old games from the previous generations. New games designed for this latest generation require faster storage, and the best option for that is the Seagate Storage Expansion Card for Xbox Series X/S. With the Seagate External Hard Drive, you will be able to effectively double your Xbox Series X storage or almost triple it.
Key Features
No Lag - The hard drive connects to consoles through a high-speed USB 3.0. This will allow you to play all your favorite games and experience sleek and smooth gameplay without any additional lag.
Designed for Xbox - Game drive works seamlessly with all types of Xbox One consoles, including Xbox One X and Xbox One S, and even involves console matching firmware for ultra-smooth performance.
100+ Game Space - The Seagate Game Drive has 4TB of storage, and this will allow you to download even up to 100 games in just one drive.
5. Toshiba Portable External Hard Drive
The Toshiba portable hard drive offers a decent amount of storage space at a pretty low cost. The combination of solid performance, hardware encryption, and fast transfer rates make it a strong contender for everyday gaming.
Key Features
Store More - Level up your PC storage with up to 1TB capacity so you can take all your massive collection of games, photos, and videos with you and also have space for other important documents.
Password Protection - Prevent unapproved users from accessing your private information with the Storage Security Software.
Automatic Backup - Avoid losing important content with the Toshiba Storage Backup Software - easily back up your documents and schedule your backup to run automatically.
6. Avolusion HDDGear Pro 2TB
The Avolusion HDDGear Pro seamlessly blends in with your PS4, thanks to the blue highlights and compact design. An easy set-up mode lets you plug in the drive and begin downloading content in moments. Get it while it's still available!
Key Features
Silent - The Avolusion HDDGear Pro comes with a silent fan-less design to operate quietly. This will prevent making any disturbance and will allow you to entirely focus on the game or task you're doing.
Compatible with PS4 - Add extra storage to your game console without having to open up the case. The Avolusion HDDGear Pro provides the best and easy solution to expand your PS4 game console storage capacity.
Plug and Play - All you will need to do is plug the USB into the PlayStation, and you are good to go. The USB 3.0 interface provides a perfect portable storage solution for you to store & backup your game data, picture, video, and more!
7. Avolusion HD250U3 1TB USB 3.0 Portable Hard Drive
If you're looking for a portable HDD for PS4 with less storage space than the previous one on our list, then the Avolusion HD250U3 1TB is the way to go. It features a USB 3.0 interface and transfer rates even up to 5Gbps.
Key Features
Works on All PS4s - The Avolusion portable hard drive works with all kinds of PS4, including PS4 Original, PS4 Slim, and PS4 Pro.
Powered by USB - This external hard drive is powered by the USB bus, and it doesn't require any additional AC power adapters.
Warranty - It features a 2 years warranty from the reseller, so if anything goes bad, then you can just swap it for a new one.
Best External Hard Drives For Gaming Buying Guide
There are many options to pick from, and they'll also come in numerous different sizes in terms of both capacity and physical dimensions. Let our deep-dive reviews help you track down the right external hard drive for gaming. Read on!
What Should You Consider When Buying External Hard Drives For Gaming Cost?
Speed
A really important thing that you should keep in mind when buying your new external hard drive for gaming is the speed. A slower external hard drive can increase waiting times and decrease game performance drastically. Most external hard drives use USB 2.o connections, but that can be sluggish for high graphic games. For comparison, a USB 2 connection has a maximum speed of only 480Mbps, whereas a USB 3 can go as fast as 5Gbps (more than ten times as much).
For faster speeds, you should look for a USB 3.0 or the newer USB Type-C connection. But before buying, make sure that your PC or laptop has USB 3 connections, as many still only have USB 2.0 connectors. (The USB 3.0 is usually marked with blue color)
Compatibility
Some of the external drives are pre-configured for either Windows or Mac. You can always change this, but you will be required to reformat it with third-party software. But in order to avoid these struggles, make sure the external drive is compatible with your operating system.
Design
The design and build quality are other crucial things that you need to consider when buying one. While external hard drives are really portable, some have a thicker design, whereas some may be sleek and slim like a mobile phone.
For example, if you often travel in airports, trains, etc., it would be ideal to buy a slim hard drive that you can easily put in a backpack or travel case. They are available in various sizes and shapes. Be sure to select the one that will be the most suitable for your needs.
How Much Do External Hard Drives For Gaming Cost?
Buying a brand-new external hard drive for gaming can cost you from as low as $25 and up to $200 and even more. The cost can vary depending on the size, transfer speed, brand, and features. Since you will be gaming with this external hard drive, we suggest that you go for something in between the price gap.
How Did We Choose The Best External Hard Drives For Gaming?
Instead of just randomly choosing colorful and cool hard drives we could find online, we did some comprehensive research online to make sure the products we're suggesting are the best types of external hard drives for gaming. Some of the factors that we have reviewed are the following:
Customer Reviews (25%)
Benchmarks (20%)
Brand (25%)
Value (30%)
What Are Some Important Features Of The Best External Hard Drives For Gaming?
Data protection
Another pretty important feature is data protection. Some of the external drives come with password protection, which could be really beneficial if the external hard drive is stolen or lost and contains some important/personal information.
Warranty
When buying an external hard drive for gaming, we suggest that you look for a warranty from 1 year and all up to 3 years. If the external hard drive malfunctions, the brand will be able to fix it or send you a new one. Be sure to read the whole warranty to see what is covered and what isn't. Because there can be certain conditions where the manufacturer won't replace your external hard drive and you may end up paying for a new one.
Back up Tool
Some of the external hard drives also come with automatic backup functions; this is much more reliable and safe than the manual drag and drop method.
Conclusion
We really hope that we helped you in some way! Whichever external hard drive you pick, you'll find that most will connect easily to your gaming PC via USB or USB Type-C and are ready to go as soon as you plug them in.
Best External Hard Drives For Gaming FAQ
Q: Are External Hard Drives Good for gaming?
A: External Hard Drives provide smooth and exceptional performance when it comes to video games. To get the best performance and experience, we suggest that you stick with an external hard drive. We suggest you stick with a USB 3.0 interface.
Q: Is a 1TB External HDD enough for gaming?
A: If you are mainly playing older games, these typically use up considerably less memory than more modern games. Given this, if you are playing older games, then a 1TB external HDD is more than enough for gaming.
Q: I hear a grinding noise on my external hard drive; what to do?
A: If you hear a grinding noise, then that is the first sign that the external hard drive is close to failing. Try to move all the data you have in your external hard drive directly to the pc and start searching for a new external hard drive. Be sure to read the whole guide on how you can pick the most suitable one.
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